19 Facts About Victor Willing

Victor Arthur James Willing was a British painter, noted for his original nude studies.

Victor Willing was a friend and colleague of many notable artists, including Elisabeth Frink, Michael Andrews and Francis Bacon.

Victor Willing was married to Portuguese feminist artist Paula Rego.

Victor Willing's education was, in consequence, disrupted until the family moved permanently to Guildford, Surrey, where he was able to attend The Royal Grammar School from 1940 to 1945.

Victor Willing secured a commission as second lieutenant in the Royal Artillery, serving in Northern Ireland and at Dover.

Victor Willing produced two accomplished stone carvings during this year, a female torso and a head.

Victor Willing's start at the Slade coincided with William Coldstream's arrival there as Director and Professor.

Victor Willing was admired by his fellow students for his adventurous talent and intellectual zest, and was denoted 'spokesman for his generation' by the critic David Sylvester.

Victor Willing was deeply fascinated by one of Francis Bacon's first exhibitions, in 1949, and he invited him to talk at the Slade.

Victor Willing took his diploma in 1952 and then stayed on for a further year.

Victor Willing's diploma painting Act of Violence is still with University Art Collections, University College.

In 1951, Victor Willing had married his long-time Guildford girlfriend, Hazel Whittington; they lived first at Shalford near Guildford, and from 1954 in a large maisonette at Lancaster Gate in Bayswater, London.

Victor Willing was able to paint both there and in a small studio that he had in Chelsea.

Rego had several abortions during their affair starting from when she was 18 years old, because Victor Willing had threatened to return to his wife if Rego kept their child.

Victor Willing had several extra-marital affairs throughout his second marriage, and some of his mistresses were depicted in his wife's drawings.

Victor Willing was discouraged when the more adventurous Lech, Precarious Drag and Untitled, which relate more closely to his late work, were viewed unfavourably by a critic friend, and he reverted to painting 'stodgy nudes'.

Victor Willing decided that he had to return to his true metier; he rented a room in a disused school in Stepney, east London, and began to paint.

Victor Willing's paintings entered important collections including the Tate Gallery, the Arts Council and the Saatchi Collection.

Victor Willing died at home in Hampstead, north London, on 1 June 1988 and was buried at Hampstead Cemetery.